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WRC Rally Catalunya: Ogier poised for fourth WRC title in Spain

A second place finish on the Rally Catalunya will be enough for Sebastien Ogier to wrap up a fourth consecutive World Rally Championship title as he prepares for his first 'match point' with three events to go.

In a season that has seen more rally winners in a single season since 2003, wins last time out in Germany and Corsica have seen Volkswagen's Ogier stretch clear of the competition to put him in an ideal position to seal the title with two events in hand.

With only team-mate Andreas Mikkelsen and Hyundai's Thierry Neuville now capable of denying Ogier, the Frenchman has a 68 and 83 point buffer over the pair with only 84 points up for grabs in the final Catalunya, Wales and Australia rallies.

With this in mind, Ogier says he has his sights set on another win in Spain and is motivated by the prospect of another world title.

"Our goal was to establish a good position in the title race at the asphalt rallies in Germany and France. We could not have been more successful in this regard, taking two wins in a row. We have taken a good step towards winning the title and can relax a little as we look ahead to the coming rallies, as we no longer need so many points to secure the title.

"The Rally Spain is an event that is driven on both asphalt and gravel - the only race with different surfaces within the same rally. That is why I like this round of the World Rally Championship so much. I was very successful there in 2013 and 2014. Last year I made a mistake on the final stage, the Power Stage, which cost us victory.

"I promise that will not happen again this year. However, I am not in Spain to make amends for that mistake. The opportunity to win the 2016 world championship is motivation enough for me."

Zdroj: crash.net